Supervisors investigate officer's shooting of dog

By LEANORA MINAI

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 3, 2000

[Times photo: Fred Victorin] Sadie Robinson holds a puppy from the litter of her slain pit bull Sassy.

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police supervisors are investigating the actions of an officer who shot and killed a 1-year-old pit bull.

Officer Jack Soule was answering a complaint of illegal dumping Saturday when he came upon Sassy, who was running off-leash and ahead of her owner on a woodsy trail in the 800 block of 58th Avenue NE.

Soule told investigating officers that he fired twice after Sassy charged at him barking and growling, said Dan Bates, police spokesman. The 40-pound pit bull was shot once in the left shoulder.

Soule, a 23-year veteran, remains on duty. He referred questions to the Police Benevolent Association on Monday.

"The dog attacked him," said Bill LauBach, executive director of the PBA, of which Soule is president. "He did what he had to do to protect himself."

Soule was working the illegal dumping call near the Canterbury School when he heard the scream of a woman come from the trail. Soule went on the trail to investigate and happened upon Sassy and two other dogs.

A man who was dropping off equipment at Canterbury School told police he saw what happened and that Soule had no choice but to shoot the dog, said Bates, the police spokesman.

Sassy's owner, 25-year-old Sadie Robertson, said Soule did not have to shoot.

"He could have pepper-sprayed," said Robertson, who was walking with two friends and two other dogs. They did not witness the shooting.

She said Sassy did not growl at people.

"I've never seen her do that, ever," said Robertson, a veterinary assistant at Skyway Animal Hospital in St. Petersburg.

If officers feel they face serious injury or that their life is in danger, they are allowed to shoot an animal, said Assistant Chief Chuck Harmon, who oversees the patrol division.

Supervisors prefer to be contacted before that happens, Harmon said. "But in some cases, there's no time for that to occur, and the officer has to do what they believe is right," he said.

Last year, there were no shootings involving animals. In 1998, there were three.

Soule's supervisor, Sgt. Earl Rutland, will review department policy and the circumstances surrounding the shooting. He will send a report to Harmon, who will send it up the chain of command to Chief Goliath Davis III.

If his supervisors determine there is a policy violation, they will convene a disciplinary board hearing. The investigation will take up to three weeks.

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